Apple's Acquisition of Beats Electronics to End Several Third-Party Partnerships

Apple's acquisition of Beats Electronics will include the severing of several deals and partnerships that the headphone and music company has with other designers and vendors, including HP.

According to Hewlett-Packard (via CNET), which sells laptops with "Beats Audio" branded speakers, the company will cease to develop products with new Beats Audio technologies at the end of 2014. Under the terms of its deal with Beats, HP will continue to sell devices though 2015, however, with the licensing agreement terminating after that period.

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A company spokesman said in an email that HP is allowed to continue developing products with new Beats Audio technologies through 2014. But it's allowed to continue selling devices with the Beats Audio logo and technology through 2015. HP says it's planning an aggressive lineup of new products that includes the Beats branding through 2014.

Beats will also be ending an ongoing partnership with design firm Ammunition (via TechCrunch), which has created the company's lineup of headphones and speakers, including the Beats Studio, Beats Pro, and Beats Pill. The transition away from Ammunition will happen over the next few months as Apple takes over designing new Beats hardware, under the leadership of Apple marketing head Phil Schiller.

Apple first announced its $3 billion Beats purchase earlier this afternoon, with Tim Cook suggesting Beats was the first music subscription to "get it right," as both Apple and Beats believe that a "great music service requires a strong editorial and curation team."

Beats' co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre will both take on roles with Apple, with the entire Beats team serving under iTunes chief Eddy Cue.

Apple's acquisition of Beats Electronics will include the severing of several deals and partnerships that the headphone and music company has with other designers and vendors, including HP.

According to Hewlett-Packard (via CNET), which sells laptops with "Beats Audio" branded speakers, the company will cease to develop products with new Beats Audio technologies at the end of 2014. Under the terms of its deal with Beats, HP will continue to sell devices though 2015, however, with the licensing agreement terminating after that period.Beats will also be ending an ongoing partnership with design firm Ammunition (via TechCrunch), which has created the company's lineup of headphones and speakers, including the Beats Studio, Beats Pro, and Beats Pill. The transition away from Ammunition will happen over the next few months as Apple takes over designing new Beats hardware, under the leadership of Apple marketing head Phil Schiller.

Apple first announced its $3 billion Beats purchase earlier this afternoon, with Tim Cook suggesting Beats was the first music subscription to "get it right," as both Apple and Beats believe that a "great music service requires a strong editorial and curation team."

Beats' co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre will both take on roles with Apple, with the entire Beats team serving under iTunes chief Eddy Cue.

Seriously, anything is better than Beats. My Lenovo laptop with JBL speaker is way better than Beats craps...Currently using JBL Bluetooth speaker connecting with my iPod Touch, $129 thing is way better than $199 Beats pills....

I've read good things about Beats audio in laptops, although I haven't heard them myself. I wonder if Apple will incorporate their audio tech into future Mac laptops. Macs sound pretty good, but any improvement is welcome.

I've read good things about Beats audio in laptops, although I haven't heard them myself. I wonder if Apple will incorporate their audio tech into future Mac laptops. Macs sound pretty good, but any improvement is welcome.

yes. the HP laptops with beats sound very good. and very loud through headphones. I own an HP Envy laptop. as for the "beats" headphones, ugh..they sound horrible to me

Have all of the people comlaining so casually about how "beats" sound listened to the newer models (post monster)? I am certainly no audiophile, but I do own several of the headphones that audiophiles rave about. From listening in store, I find that the newest released beats (I think called studio) are as good as, and share manay characteristics with, some of the very headphones people throw out as being superior in every way. They are colored, to be sure, and you do pay something for brand and design - but they are certainly not bad. They are also built well, and some models are understated in design.

I think that Beats already undertook an exercise of improving its sound, build and design.

I wonder how many will forget the current line-up and simply compare those released under Apple ownership to some of the more embarassing of the old monster beats line up - and conclude that Apple worked a miracle.

The new HTC M8 does not use Beats... The older M7 uses Beats...but that doesn't really help HTC boost their sale much. Also the new Sprint M8 uses Harman Kardon headphone...

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Originally Posted by DTphonehome

I've read good things about Beats audio in laptops, although I haven't heard them myself. I wonder if Apple will incorporate their audio tech into future Mac laptops. Macs sound pretty good, but any improvement is welcome.

It was pretty funny... I brought one of fake Beats headphone from eBay.. Brought to work, nobody actually know it was a fake one. I also heard that people saying fake Beats are just as good as real one in terms of sound quality. I never used laptop with beats...but I know that my Lenovo laptop with JBL rocks. Since that, I brought few JBL Bluetooth speaker, JBL never disappointment me.

Have all of the people comlaining so casually about how "beats" sound listened to the newer models (post monster)? I am certainly no audiophile, but I do own several of the headphones that audiophiles rave about. From listening in store, I find that the newest released beats (I think called studio) are as good as, and share manay characteristics with, some of the very headphones people throw out as being superior in every way. They are colored, to be sure, and you do pay something for brand and design - but they are certainly not bad. They are also built well, and some models are understated in design.

I think that Beats already undertook an exercise of improving its sound, build and design.

I wonder how many will forget the current line-up and simply compare those released under Apple ownership to some of the more embarassing of the old monster beats line up - and conclude that Apple worked a miracle.

Exactly, people claim that they are terrible headphones but for the type of music I listen to my Mixr versions of Beats sound amazing. It was between some JBL headphones but the Beats looked better and sound better...

__________________
There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.~Peter F. Drucker

The new HTC M8 does not use Beats... The older M7 uses Beats...but that doesn't really help HTC boost their sale much. Also the new Sprint M8 uses Harman Kardon headphone...

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It was pretty funny... I brought one of fake Beats headphone from eBay.. Brought to work, nobody actually know it was a fake one. I also heard that people saying fake Beats are just as good as real one in terms of sound quality. I never used laptop with beats...but I know that my Lenovo laptop with JBL rocks. Since that, I brought few JBL Bluetooth speaker, JBL never disappointment me.

These news remind of a post of Apple developing their own speakers or something like that. That's be nice.

Apple entered the speaker business in 06-07 with the iPod Hi-Fi system. It was a pricey and a pretty big flop. I don't know anyone that bought one and Apple never followed it up with a new version or any improvements.

Having heard the Beats audio on a Touchpad a couple of years back, feel free to either not include it on iDevices or at least give us the option to bypass it.

Turning on whatever DSP/equalisation Beats provided turned Lee Alexander's bass to sonic mush on the first couple of Norah Jones' albums. Any acoustic music (Jazz, Classical etc) is NOT improved by whatever tuning this Beats stuff provides.

No... I never physically go out buy one... They are not really worth of the money... One of my friends has collection of beats headphones, I tried few and compared with my Audio Technica, ATH-M50, Senheiser HD 558, AKG K480NC, JBL Flip Bluetooth speaker, JBL Micro. They just not that good. They get really loud bass, I give you that...but everything else jus hemmmmm.... When you compare them side by side, you will notice significant differences... Everything just blow out Beats...

Beats are just not wroth the price. If they price their headphone at least 50% cheaper, I would say Beats are good buy. For example, JBL flip at 100 dollars absolutely trash Beats Pill....

What I want to know is this: Will Apple continue to sell other 3rd party headphones and audio accessories now that they own Beats? You don't see them selling other laptops, tablets, phones, wireless routers, etc. Though they do sell other keyboards and mice.

Apple entered the speaker business in 06-07 with the iPod Hi-Fi system. It was a pricey and a pretty big flop. I don't know anyone that bought one and Apple never followed it up with a new version or any improvements.

I had an iPod Hi-Fi at work back then, and have to say, it was hands down the best portable speaker system around then. But the price was a few miles past the steep side, and it just never caught on (shock). But sure sounded good!

Saw this coming day one. One of the major draws of Beats for Apple had to of been their audio in laptops which was the companies first big play and the one area they actually stood out as being good.

Expect to see this on late 2014-early 2015 Mac pro.

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Originally Posted by macduke

What I want to know is this: Will Apple continue to sell other 3rd party headphones and audio accessories now that they own Beats? You don't see them selling other laptops, tablets, phones, wireless routers, etc. Though they do sell other keyboards and mice.

Keyboards may not be a whole lot longer either as Apple has a few patents up their sleeve. Though cost of production could make them feel easier to just take a cut of someone elses work as with current 4k displays etc. Though should we see an iPad Pro then don't be surprised to see a keyboard cover thinner and more flexible than Microsofts with better key response, a particular issue on Microsoft ones.

I've compared a lot of the high end bluetooth "pill" style speakers and nothing even compares to the $50 Cambridge Audio Oontz http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008JG...&robot_redir=1 Some of the $300 speakers have great bass and sound good at high volumes, but once you turn it down it gets real muddy. Or just the opposite. The Oontz sounds great at all volumes.